That's the title of an editorial published in today's edition of the Tennessean.
Members of the Tennessee General Assembly all too often use their lawmaking powers for the wrong reasons: to reward their friends, to score political points before an election. But subverting the laws of the state in order to put people to death might be the worst transgression lawmakers could commit.
And:
Botched lethal injections in other states have drawn legal challenges. So Tennessee lawmakers have a Plan B, and it’s the worst idea yet.
Senate Bill 2580 would require that the state use electrocution if a court struck down lethal injection as an execution method, or if a drug were to become unavailable.
So lawmakers’ solution to the inhumane use of drugs (an Ohio execution by injection last month lasted 26 minutes, more torture than execution) is a more brutal method that has been out of favor for years. A single Tennessee inmate, Daryl Holton, died in the electric chair recently, in 2007, by his choosing.
"Tennessee lawmaker proposes electric chair as death row backup," is by Eric Snyder of the Nashville Business Journal.
A Republican in the Tennessee Senate has proposed a bill that would make the electric chair a backup option in additional death row cases.
Knoxville TV station WBIR reports that Sen. Ken Yager, of Kingston, wants the electric chair to be an option should lethal injection be found to be unconstitutional or if an essential ingredient isn't available.
Earlier coverage from Tennessee begins at the link. Related posts are in the electric chair category index.
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